10 Creative Reuse Ideas for the Garden

While you may think some of your stuff has hit the end its life cyle, or is only good for one thing, much of it could be leading a double life in your garden! Before you give them the heave-ho, check out Real Simple's great list of 46 new uses for old things in the garden — here are our 10 favorite ideas.

1. Car Wax as Garden Shear Lubricant: "For cleaner cuts with less elbow grease, rub a little paste on the hinge of a pair of garden shears so they don't get jammed."2. Changing Table As Potting Bench: "Once the little ones are potty-trained, give your changing table new life as a potting bench. A coat of semi-gloss or high-gloss paint will protect it from the elements. Stack pots on shelves and stash seeds in drawers. Fill an easy access hanging nylon or canvas diaper bag with shears and gloves."3. Golf Bag as Garden Caddy: "A spare golf bag can carry unwieldy rakes, shovels, and hoes from the garage to your own green fairway (er, backyard)."4. Banana Peel as Rose Fertilizer: "Just flatten a banana peel and bury it under one inch of soil at the base of a rosebush. The peel's potassium feeds the plant and helps it resist disease. Consider it a nutritional boost for you and your buds."5. Soil Savers: Lining the bottom of a pot with a sponge, coffee filter, plastic bags, or styrofoam peanuts helps improve drainage, keeps the soil from escaping out the bottom of the pot, and reduces the quantity of soil needed.6. Grapefruit Knife as Weeder: "To remove weeds, use the curved blade in container gardens or tight spaces where traditional tools are too big for the job."7. Croquet Wickets as Hose Stakes: "Make an arched pathway from the waterspout to the flower bed, then feed the hose through the wickets. Now the hose can't migrate and crush your impatiens."8. Plastic Bag as Knee Pads: "Need to kneel in your garden to pull weeds, or on the street to change a tire, but don't want to preserve the memory eternally on your pant legs? Grab a couple of plastic bags and tie one around each knee, covering the area that will be exposed to dirt and grime."9. Red Ornaments as Hungry Bird Banishers: "Hang unbreakable ornaments on tomato plants early in the season. When pesky sparrows or blue jays come to peck, they'll find the hard bulbs (instead of juicy treats) and abandon their attacks by the time the real fruits ripen."10. Eggshell As Seedling Planter: "Using a pin, poke a hole in the bottom of an empty eggshell half, put it in an egg carton (for stability), and fill with soil and seeds. Once your seedling appears, plant the whole thing in the ground. The eggshell will disintegrate and nourish the soil."